Massage device

ABSTRACT

A massage device for the hydro-therapeutic massage of the human body, the device comprising a bowl having a side wall, an open end adapted to be placed against the body and a closed end with a substantially rigid tubular connector extending through the closed end and forming a conduit constituting an inlet for fluid. A rotatable spray head is mounted for rotation on the connector within the bowl and in communication with the conduit and an outlet for fluid is provided in the side wall of the bowl. In operation, fluid is passed under pressure through the connector to the spray head and the spray head is adapted to rotate under the fluid pressure and spray fluid towards the open end of the bowl so as to massage the surface of that part of the body located within the open end of the bowl.

United States Patent Green [4 1 Oct. 23, 1973 {54} MASSAGE DEVICE [76] Inventor: Leslie Green, 50 Wellwood Rd., TaPP Goodmayes ford, England Attorney-Norman F. Oblon et al.

[ PP 205,683 A massage device for the hydrwtherapeutic massage of the human body, the device comprising a bowl hav- 30 Forei n A atum P D t ing a side wall, an open end adapted to be placed 1 D 30 "2 1 y a against the body and a closed end with a substantially mat mam 6l783/7O rigid tubular connector extending through theclosed end and forming a conduit constituting an inlet for fluid A rotatable Spray head is mounted for rotation i 66 38 on the connector within the bowl and in communicale 0 can 1 5 tion with the conduit and an outlet for fluid is provided in the side wall of the bowl. In operation, fluid is passed under pressure through the connector to the [56] References cued spray head and the spray head is adapted to rotate UNITED STATES PATENTS under the fluid pressure and spray fluid towards the 3,667,455 6/1972 Courtin 128/66 open end of the bowl so as to massage the surfaceof 1,101,304 1914 Lauter r 128/ that part of the body located within the open end of 2,699,773 1 1955 Nemeth 128/66 the bowl 2,595,491 5/1952 Schweikert... 128/66 2,682,868 7/1954 Fortin 128/66 4'Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I ,1 29 z g 1 MASSAGE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION vices do not provide a uniform and vigorous spray which gives the most beneflcialresults.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a message device which will provide auniform and vigorous spray of water on the part of thebody to be treated and which thereby produces a massaging effect on the tissues.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a massage device for massaging the human body comprising a bowl having a side wall, an open end and'a closedend, a substantially rigid tubular connector extending through the closed end of the bowl and forming a conduit constituting an inlet for fluid, a rotatable spray head mounted for rotation on the connector within the bowl and in communication with the said conduit and an outlet for fluid in the side wall of the bowl, wherein the spray head is adapted to rotate when fluid is passed under pressure through the connectorto the spray head and to spray fluid towards the open end of the bowl as the spray head rotates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, a massage device is indicated generally at which comprises a substantially cup-shaped bowl 1] formed from a transparent'synthetic plastics material. The bowl 11 has an open end 12 which is circular in cross-section, and a closed end 13. The periphery of the open end 12 undulates, as can be seen from FIG. 1, having two peaks on opposite sides of the bowl and two troughs, also on opposite sides of the bowl. The undulatory shape of the open end of the bowl assists in forming a seal against the body of the user when the bowl is placed over the breast. The rim of the open end 12 is covered with a moulding 14, which is preferably formed from a resilient material such as polythene and which assists in forming a water tight seal against the body.

A substantially rigid tubular connector 15 extends through an aperture 16 in the closed end 13 of the bowl 11 and is mounted therein with the aid of a circlip 17 which locates in a groove- 18 in the outer surface of the I connector adjacent the outer surface of the closed end of the bowl.

The connector 15 has a boss 19 at its inner end, an axial conduit 20 extending into the boss 19 and two transverse bores 21 and 22 in the boss 19 extending outwardly from the conduit 20. The outer end of the connector 15 is formed with external serrations which assist in retaining one end of aflexiblehose 23 in position on the connector 15.

A rotatable spray head 24 is mounted on the connector 15 between the boss 19 and theinner face of the closed end 13 of the'bowl so asto be freely rotatable relative to the connector.

The spray head 24comprises axbase 25 and a cover plate 26. The base 25 comprises a cup-shapedportion 27 and an integral sleeve portion 28 which is mounted for rotation on the connector 15. A washer 29 is clamped between the end of the sleeve portion 28 and the innerface of the end 13 of the bowl to form a seal aroundthe aperture 16 and against the outer surface of the connector 15.

' The cup-shaped portion 27 of the base of the spray head is provided with six tangentiallydisposed vanes 30 which are so arranged that fluid passed under pressure from the connector 15 into the spray head strikes the vanes 30 and rotates the sprayhead in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 2.

The cover plate 26 of the spray head, which is attached either removably as by screw threads or nonremovably by spot-welding, to the base 25, has a conical face 31 directed towards the open end 12 of the bowl 11 and three equiangularly spaced orifices 32 formed in the conical face.

The wall of the bowl 11 is provided with an outlet slot 33 on one side of the bowl.

In order to use the massage device 10, one end of the flexible hose 23 is connected to the outer end of the connector 15 and the other end of the hose (not shown) is connected to a source of fluid under pressure, such as a domestic tap. The fluid used may be water or any other preferred fluid such as a medicated aqueous solution and the fluid may be provided at any required temperature. The bowl 11 is then placed over the part of the body to be treated, which may for example be the breast and is held firmly against the body so as to form a water-tight seal between the moulding 14 which surrounds the open end 12 of the bowl l1 and the body. The tap or other means controlling the fluid under pressure is then turned on and fluid under pressure passes through the conduit 20 of the connector 15 via the bores 21 and 22 into the spray head 24 where it strikes the vanes 30 and rotates the spray head. The fluid is then thrown under pressure through the orifices 32 of the rotating spray head towards the open end of the bowl and against the breast which is contained within the bowl.

The arrangement of the vanes 30 in the spray head 24 is such that the pressure of the fluid rotates the spray head at a speed which will be determined by the pressure of the fluid but which will normally be sufficient to ensure that a vigorous and uniform spray of water strikes every part of the surface of the breast, thus en-. suring a massaging effect on the skin tissues.

The bowl 1 1 is applied to the body with the outlet slot 33 at the lowermost position and fluid which collects in the bowl is drained from the outlet into a receptacle placed beneath the bowl for this purpose.

It will be understood that the massage device of the present invention, although particularly suitable for use in treating the breast can be used to treat any part of above described embodiment without departing from i the spirit and scope of the invention which is best described in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A massage device for massaging the female breast with water comprising:

a substantially cup-shaped bowl having a sidewall, an

open end and a closed end;

a substantially rigid tubular connector extending through the closed end of said bowl being adapted for connection to a main water supply and forming a conduit constituting an inlet for water into said bowl;

means in said tubular connector in the part thereof extending inside said bowl for directing water from said main water supply substantially radially of said tubular connector;

a rotatable spray head mounted for rotation on said tubular connector within said bowl being formed of a cup-shaped base open in the direction of said open end of said bowl and having a plurality of vanes tangentially arranged therewithin disposed concentrically about said radially directing means of said tubular connector and a cover plate for said cup-shaped base having a plurality of restricted orifices equiangularly spaced in a circle whose center lies on the longitudinal axis of said tubular connector, said cover plate of said spray head having a substantially smooth and flat end face directed generally toward the open end of said bowl and being disposed entirely immediately adjacent said closed end of said bowl; and

means forming an outlet for water in the sidewall of said bowl,

whereby water entering said spray head under pressure from said conduit strikes said vanes to rotate said spray head and thereafter passes through said restricted orifices of the cover plate of said spray head at a substantial velocity toward the open end of said bowl.

2. A massage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the periphery of the open end of the bowl undulates so as to have two peaks at opposite sides of the bowl and two troughs at opposite sides of the bowl.

3. A massage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the periphery of the open end of the bowl is sheathed in a resilient beading.

4. A message device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bowl is formed from a transparent plastics i i I t 

1. A massage device for massaging the female breast with water comprising: a substantially cup-shaped bowl having a sidewall, an open end and a closed end; a substantially rigid tubular connector extending through the closed end of said bowl being adapted for connection to a main water supply and forming a conduit constituting an inlet for water into said bowl; means in said tubular connector in the part thereof extending inside said bowl for directing water from said main water supply substantially radially of said tubular connector; a rotatable spray head mounted for rotation on said tubular connector within said bowl being formed of a cup-shaped base open in the direction of said open end of said bowl and having a plurality of vanes tangentially arranged therewithin disposed concentrically about said radially directing means of said tubular connector and a cover plate for said cup-shaped base having a plurality of restricted orifices equiangularly spaced in a circle whose center lies on the longitudinal axis of said tubular connector, said cover plate of said spray head having a substantially smooth and flat end face directed generally toward the open end of said bowl and being disposed entirely immediately adjacent said closed end of said bowl; and means forming an outlet for water in the sidewall of said bowl, whereby water entering said spray head under pressure from said conduit strikes said vanes to rotate said spray head and thereafter passes through said restricted orifices of the cover plate of said spray head at a substantial velocity toward the open end of said bowl.
 2. A massage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the periphery of the open end of the bowl undulates so as to have two peaks at opposite sides of the bowl and two troughs at opposite sides of the bowl.
 3. A massage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the periphery of the open end of the bowl is sheathed in a resilient beading.
 4. A massage device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bowl is formed from a transparent plastics material. 